Examining the ‘Throat of Fire’

This summer we can follow a blog of an OU Geosciences graduate as he joins a volcanic observation centre in Ecuador. David Litchfield’s participation in the mission to monitor Mama Tungurahua, a 5023 metres high volcano, is secured with an OU bursary, but is far from being a risk-free adventure.

Since he joined the centre, the volcano exploded, sending shockwaves felt hundreds of kilometres away and forcing 200 local residents to flee, as reported by the BBC.

Tungurahua, which means ‘throat of fire’ in indigenous language, has been active on irregular basis since 1999, on occasions threatening local population, with thousands of people being temporarily evacuated and six deaths recorded in 2006.

David declares his broad interest in hazard monitoring methods and how geoscientists communicate their findings with those who need it. The Tungurahua Volcanic Observatory he is now based in provides a 40-minute early warning of lahars (volcanic mudflows) that threaten the nearby town of Baños and other local populations.

David will spend eight weeks at the base. He earned his placement there thanks to a number of factors, including: his enthusiasm, his knowledge of Spanish and the country, as well as to his backing from the OU.

He says: ‘I was successful in applying for financial support through the Ian Gass Bursary from the Open University where I studied undergraduate geosciences.’

David Litchfield is currently studying part-time for an MSc in Geophysical Hazards at UCL.

Since David wrote his first post, significant eruptive activity has been reported at the Tungurahua volcano. David will be writing about this in a subsequent blog post. He invites your comments and questions.

Posted on 30 July 2013.